Enewsletter

Enewsletter • July 3, 2013

Notes
from Vegan Outreach

Team
Vegan 2013 ROCKED!

We are incredibly grateful to all the members
of Team
Vegan 2013. We’re still putting
in all the donations, so you can check the Team Vegan page for the up-to-the-minute
total. As of this writing, though, over a quarter
million dollars was raised to print and distribute
our booklets!

Notes
from Our Members

Vic Sjodin reports the highlight of leafleting the University of Kentucky on 4/10/13 was meeting Maria (above), a student who went veg as a result of receiving a booklet last year!

Leafleting gets better and better
at the Homestead Campus of Miami Dade
College; I met more vegetarians / vegans than
ever before. One called back: “I’m vegan!
It’s so awesome you’re out here doing this!”
Not only was this really encouraging, but also
got the crowd much more interested. Watched
dozens of students intensely studying their
booklet, and overheard others discussing the
booklet. One student told me how she’d been
unaware of the cruelty involved in our farming
practices, and said she wouldn’t be looking
at her food choices the same again. Just a few
of the great things that happened on this day of awesome
outreach here.—Yuri Mitzkewich, 4/8/13

At Western New England University,
Joseph stopped and asked me if
I was trying to make everyone a vegetarian.
I said I would love that, then explained what
we do at VO: that we are trying to reduce suffering
as much as possible, and it is something that
EVERYONE can do! He said he would read the booklet
and reduce his consumption of animals.
Lauren, a student
I met last semester, joined me today, and we
reached over 1,100 students at Southern Connecticut
State. MaryEllen read the booklet, and said she
wanted to stop eating animal products altogether.
The most difficult for her would be chicken;
I advised that she try Boca chik’n burgers
and try the Gardein BBQ “wings.” I
also told her about Beyond Meat. Then, Robert
said he was now going vegan after reading the
booklet!—Karen James, 4/16/13

Terrible weather at
Syracuse University, but a good spot made the
day successful. I got a group of nearly 100
high school kids to take the booklets; they
were all excited to read it – heard from 2
girls who really want to go vegan and said the
booklets helped.

Hail, snow, and
rain at SUNY Oswego, but Constance and I reached
2,500 students. Met so many people
already veg that we collected their information
to put them in touch with each other. One girl
came back after class to leaflet and took a
couple dozen to her next class.—Nathan Shin, 4/11/13

At CUNY City Tech, one
lady said she got one last time and it made
her not want to eat meat. Another girl was interested
in how the food pics in the back went along
with the animal pictures in the front. I explained
the connection, and went on to tell her that
it’s best to try many different foods and find
the ones we like the best because there are
so many options available.
At CUNY Staten
Island, met several people now interested in
going vegan. A girl asked what she could do,
and Gail [Mayer, far left] and I explained that everyone could help
by even making just gradual changes in their
diet.—Lisa Drapkin, 4/16/13

Great conversations at
Miami University, where Rachel and I reached
1,600 students, despite the rain. Also heard
a number of students discussing the booklet.
Brianne was enthusiastic and got a Guide.
Karin wants to volunteer with VO in the future!
Rochelle said she doesn’t see how she could
eat meat again after reading the booklet, and asked
about what to eat, etc. As she was encouraging her boyfriend to eat less meat, I took a quick pic of them with their Guides [right].
New record at
the University of Dayton, where we reached 1,450
students. Emily now wants to leaflet; Brigitte [below, center]
now wants to go veg and was thankful for the Guide.
Long conversation with Sammy [below, right], who ended up with
a Guide. Great day.
Rachel and I reached
over 1,600 students at Sinclair Community College,
with fantastic interactions. Also watched many
students engrossed in their booklets. Met Tyson [below, left],
who had questions and wants to stop supporting
the cruelty on factory farms; he got a Guide.
We also met an ethics professor who took 20
to give to her students. An older student said
she supported us and wanted to go veg; also
took a Guide.—Vic Sjodin, 4/16/13

The highlight at
Castleton State was when a young man said he
and a friend had been looking through the booklet
and were disturbed especially by the photo of
the piglets. He went on to ask me some thoughtful
questions, and we had a good discussion. He
said he really liked VO’s approach, and the
information will definitely have an impact.—Lana Smithson, 4/15/13

Tina Czerwinski (above) and Leslie Patterson also reached 650 students at South Suburban College on 4/24/13.

Great to have my mom’s help at
Utah Valley University and Weber State. Brittany
joined us at UVU, and we reached 2,400 people – a new record for the school! The students were among
the most receptive I’ve ever encountered, and one
professor wants someone to speak to his classes
next semester. Watched lots of students reading
their booklets – especially at Weber, where we reached
another 1,400 students.—Steve Erlsten, 4/12/13

Tina and I had great conversations
at Moraine Valley Community College. We heard
from a couple different students who had tried
but failed to be vegan, so Tina gave them some
good tips and Guides. One student
said our visit last semester led her to go veg.
Another woman told us receiving the booklet
caused her to change what she got for lunch.
One student asked for a few leaflets to pass
on. Other students stopped with questions, to
express support, or to ask how they can help
animals. Wonderful!—Leslie Patterson, 4/17/13

Gave a booklet to the school president
at Niagara College. Reached nearly 600 people, including an interested security
guard; and answered many,
many questions from interested students.—John Sakars (left, at York University), 4/17/13

Marley joined me at
Central Piedmont Community College, where we
met Jessica who wants to get involved. We talked
for quite a while, and she said she had goosebumps
up her arms just talking about what we are doing
here! Marcele, a security guard, was excited
about us being there. She recently rescued a
turkey that fell off of a slaughter truck, and
showed us pictures. She asked for more booklets
and I gave her a Guide. She said she
wanted to cut meat out of her diet, and she
hoped we would come back!—Curt Albright, 4/17/13

John and I reached
over 3,000 students at Brock University, and
had great conversations! Spoke with Sierra,
who told me this was some heavy reading. I mentioned
that as bad as it is, it is fortunate there’s
something we can each do about it; this cheered
her. She thanked me for doing this and left with a Guide in her hand. Also
had an excellent conversation with Beata, who
told me that she never wants to eat eggs again.
As she walked away she turned back and said,
“Thanks for turning me off eggs!”
Win for the chickens! Later, one student said,
“You already gave me one and you convinced
me!” Made sure to Guide her!
I reached over
2,100 students at McMaster University, and had
good interactions. For example: a semi truck
drove by and a guy rolled down the window and
requested a booklet. When I told him it was
to help animals, he said, “I love animals!”
I handed two friends each a copy of Even
If You Like Meat…You Can Help End This Cruelty,
and as they walked away one pointed at the title
and said, “This is sooo true!” Later I spoke with Sharon [right], who told me she’s definitely
going to eat less meat after getting a booklet
earlier in the day! She hadn’t eaten meat all
day as a result of reading about how farm animals
are treated!
Poured at the
University of Western Ontario, but good conversations.
Handed Moe a booklet; he read it for a bit,
then walked back to me and asked more about
it. Turns out he tried going vegan once before
but couldn’t keep up. Because he got this booklet,
he now actually promised to give it another
shot! Ran into Steve, an awesome vegan dude
who told me about the recent outpouring of interest
in animal activism in London. He told me that
two years ago there was nothing going on and
now there are 4 groups with 300+ people! Assan
told me he really liked the “meat reduction”
approach and was appreciative of the Guide I
handed him. Best story of the day goes to Vidhant [right],
whose sister received a booklet two years ago
in Ottawa. He ended up reading it and went vegetarian
as a result and has been for two years! Go, Vidhant!
At St. Clair College,
I saw tons of people reading the booklet [one at right] –
got a real sense of interest from the student
body. Had a real good convo with Jonathon, who
said he read through the booklet and it’s really shocking
stuff. He even asked for some more copies to
give to his friends. His grandmother owns an
egg farm with over 22,000 birds, and he said
he knows it’s wrong. I actually recited the
story from Joe Espinosa’s post about seeing
the turkeys on their way to slaughter in the
cold, and it really touched a nerve with both
of us.—John Oberg, 4/11/13

Vegan
Outreach is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
dedicated to reducing the suffering of
farmed animals by promoting informed,
ethical eating.